Comedian Sarah Silverman, who routinely courts controversy with her edgy humor, recently made an attention-getting statement of a more intimate nature: because of her personal and family history of depression, she declared that she would not have biological children, to avoid passing her mental problems to the next generation. “I don’t want kids,” she said on The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet. “I know that I have this depression and that it’s in my family. Every family has their stuff but, for me, I just don’t feel strong enough to see that in a child.”

Punditsacross the Internet praised Silverman for her honesty and sense of responsibility, duly citing research that shows that depression is deeply heritable. People with a parent or sibling with major depression are two to three times more likely than average to develop it themselves.

But what the commenters didn’t mention is that the same genes that can cause depression may also encourage the sensitivity and sensibility that gives Silverman her creative talent. Indeed, some research suggests that the same exact genetics that might lead to depression can also lead to mental superhealth, depending on whether a person endured high stress in early childhood or had a calmer, more nurturing environment.

Atlantic writer David Dobbs has called such genes “orchid genes.” Like the finicky flowers, they thrive and outshine ordinary plants when grown in the perfect conditions, but otherwise rapidly wilt and die. In contrast, he describes “dandelion genes,” which allow healthy development, whether the setting is harsh or bountiful.

Some of the genes involved in risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), addiction and depression seem to share this quality, leading to vulnerability if early life is difficult but otherwise providing advantages. A recent study found also that people who had genes associated with better memory — a powerful aid to learning and intelligence — were more likely to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder after trauma, compared with those without the same genetic variants. People with better memories had more flashbacks.

Focus on just the bad-environment results, and you see only vulnerability. Focus on the good-environment results, and you see that the risk alleles [or gene variants] usually produce better results than the protective ones. Securely raised 7-year-old boys with the DRD4 risk allele for ADHD, for instance, show fewer symptoms than their securely raised protective-allele peers. Non-abused teenagers with that same risk allele show lower rates of conduct disorder. Non-abused teens with the risky serotonin-transporter [gene variant] suffer less depression than do non-abused teens with the protective allele.

Basically, whether a gene is “good” or “bad” depends on where it “lives” and how it is “raised.” And I would argue that even when people with orchid genes don’t have the benefit of a good early environment, their innate sensitivity to their condition can still often allow talent to flourish.

Artists and writers have long noted a correlation between mood disorders and creativity. A recent study of 300,000 Swedish families affected by psychiatric disorders found that people with bipolar disorder are overrepresented in creative professions. That same study showed that healthy relatives of people with schizophrenia are more likely to have creative careers, a finding that supports earlier research suggesting that the genes that lead to schizophrenia in certain conditions or combinations may produce heightened creativity in others.

A similar phenomenon can be seen in autism. Notoriously, many of the most successful people in computer science and engineering have traits similar to those seen in people with high-functioning autism — or they have the condition itself. Relatives of people with autism are more likely to be engineers, mathematicians or computer scientists, compared with the families of non-autistic people. One study found that students majoring in technical professions were more likely to have autistic relatives, while those majoring in humanities were more likely to have depressed, addicted or bipolar family members.

This means that if you eliminate the genes that carry these mental-health risks, you may also do away with their associated benefits. The research suggests strongly that the genes associated with our most tragic psychological conditions may also carry the potential for our greatest talents and skills.

And so, while I wouldn’t presume to advise anyone about their personal reproductive decisions, I don’t think it’s necessarily “more responsible” for people with depression or other brain differences to forgo having children. Obviously, someone who cannot function due to psychiatric disease should not set out to become pregnant, and people whose conditions are untreatable or unbearable to them may want to prevent any possibility of passing on the same kind of suffering. But we should remember that, contrary to claims that the dark poet Sylvia Plath would have inevitably become insufferably twee if given Prozac, successfully treating depression or any such condition does not erase or eliminate genius, merely pain.

Consequently, as we as a society get better at identifying the genes that contribute to depressive, schizophrenic or autistic traits, we need to consider not just disabilities but potential. By selecting against our “worst” genes, we may run the risk of losing our greatest gifts.

As someone who has clinical depression and almost certainly inherited it (my mother had it briefly, my maternal grandmother had it much of her life, and my sister has had it in the past as well) I find it pretty gross that people are implying women should choose not to have kids - a HUGE life-changing choice - because they have depression. Depression is a very common mental disorder and it is also treatable. Am I happy to have gone through it? No. Did I seek treatment? Yes. My mother and sister did the same. I have my own reasons for considering not having biological children (I DO want children, actually, but I may not go the biological route, and I'm not in a particular hurry, either) and my depression is one of them, but it won't be the deciding factor. I'm glad I'm here and I'm glad my mother decided to have me. If a woman chooses not to have kids because of depression, that's great - it's her choice - but please don't act like all women are obligated to make the same choice.

Major depression is dramatically different than having gone through a depressive episode throughout your life. Episodes are normal and most people have one or several throughout their life. Major depression is far more severe and lifelong. It can make living almost unbearable for a lifetime for a person, whereas depressive episodes pass and will be limited in number. It is a very serious thing to consider if you suffer from major depression as to whether you have children. You have to be able to take care of yourself and raise your children. Major depression can be debilitating and make functioning as an adult nearly impossible, let alone allowing the person suffering to be a reliable caretaker for others. It's a lifelong disease. Please be clear on the difference between the two disorders and the limitations they may present for some people.

Any, and I mean ANY "benefit" of imagination or artistry isn't worth passing such suffering to your children. As someone who suffers from depression I don't fall for that romantic bs. Too many ppl who know they have mental issues irresponsibly pass their genes. To me it's absolutely inconceivable, especially knowing that the same bad genes may be responsible for developing bipolar, tendency for addictions or schizophrenia as well, not only depression.

That clever sexy beast of Sarah Silverman is my real hero. I truly wish there was more such common sense across our society. Not having children in this case is in some way having and loving them by not having them.

@qwaewseqwse As someone else with depression, please, please, please do not speak for all of us.

My mother is a wonderful woman and her choice to have kids was not irresponsible. Depression is an awful disease - believe me, I know - but it is also a) very common and b) treatable. If everyone who had potentially inheritable depression decided to stop having kids the overall gene pool would suffer.

Depression is passing episodes that are treatable. Major depression is a lifelong disease and a whole other breed of beast. Try and get life insurance with a diagnosis of major depression, you can't. Educate yourself on the differences, those with major depression often find it nearly impossible to function themselves for the majority of their lifetime. It doesn't exactly make them excellent candidates to raise children. It's a decision that should be made based on the support system they have to cope with the disease and the challenges of parenting.

@qwaewseqwse I agree but of course this depends on a number of factors. I would consider myself to suffer with MDD but I feel that it is slowly getting better because I have been facing a lot of the issues. It has been hard but I really feel I am headed in a good direction. I am still single, which I chose to be because I knew I had a lot of work to do. I knew that getting involved with someone and having kids when I hadn't even dealt with my own issues would have been a huge mistake. I think much of it depends on the person and how they are doing, if they are working on it, if they find the support they need, etc... You know?

@qwaewseqwse but I am not disagreeing with you. This is something that I have been asking myself lately. I am 27, still single, and so obviously I think about it from time to time. It is definitely something that deserves some careful thought.

I also wouldn't advise others on this issue but I also don't want to be responsible for passing on my mental and (related) physical health problems for someone else to endure. The alleged benefits are not worth the drawbacks as far as I feel. Maybe some of those who can pass on these genes will be those who are less prone to the negative effects. Selection will then reduce the risk of expressing the negative aspects of the genes.

As far as treating depression repressing intelligence and talent like those of depressed people in history, I think it's more likely that talent and intelligence increase the risk of depression rather than depression increasing intelligence and talent.